Bacolod Cty – Negros Occidental and eight of the province’s local government units were named national awardees for the 23rd Gawad KALASAG Seal and Special Awards for Excellence in Disaster Risk Reduction and Management and Humanitarian Assistance, as adjudged by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, through the National Gawad KALASAG Committee.
The municipalities of E.B. Magalona and Manapla, cities of Victorias, La Carlota, Silay, Talisay, and San Carlos, as well as highly urbanized Bacolod City, were among the 723 fully compliant LGUs for special awards for excellence, in the local DRRM Councils and offices category.
E.B. Magalona won the same award last year, being among the 436 compliant LGUs.
In a statement, Mayor Marvin Malacon congratulated the MDRRM office led by Mary Angeline Gustilo and thanked them for working together in making the town “fully compliant” with the guidelines and criteria set by the NDRRMC.
Negros Oriental was also included in the awardees, according to NDRRMC.
The NDRRMC awards the Gawad KALASAG Seal to Local Government Units (LGUs) that adhere to the standards for the establishment and functionality of the LDRRMCs and LDRRMOs as mandated under Republic Act No. 10121, also known as the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010.
Derived from the Filipino term for “shield,” Kalasag historically served as a protective barrier against adversaries and harmful elements. Correspondingly, the recognition was conceived to function as a shield for high-risk communities, fostering the active engagement of various stakeholders in designing and implementing effective DRRM programs.
In a statement, the Department of Interior and Local Government – Negros Occidental lauded LGUs for their exemplary commitment to excellence in disaster management.
“Let us persist in our collaborative efforts to build a safe, resilient, and progressive province of Negros Occidental,” the DILG said.
(Gilbert Bayoran via TVDS, Photo by TVDS)
